


My Enemy's Enemy is My Friend

by TheNewCorleone



Category: Mobscast AU - Fandom, The Yogscast
Genre: Drugs, F/F, Gangsters, Gen, Knives, Mobscast, Pain, Yogscast AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-06
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-12 01:25:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2090520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNewCorleone/pseuds/TheNewCorleone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's my take on the whole Mobscast 1930's style AU. Its also my first attempt at writing like this, so I hope people enjoy reading it. (Also, a good chunk of the beginning is implementing some character backstory that I couldn't work into the plot without bogging it down too much at the beginning. It's not elegant, I'll admit, but it serves a purpose.)</p>
<p>A war between to gangs comes to an abrupt end when the plans of a new police captain interferes with it all. A truce must be forged or the fate of Mistral's mafia hangs in the balance as the shadow of Israphel looms over the city.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Forged Alliances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Book I**
> 
>  
> 
> {This has been revised somewhat, but I've tried to keep the overall feel the same. - 12/20/2017}

The Main Crew

Honeydew - Leader of the Main crew. More sinister than his name implies, he is old and respected, with a penchant for using his vast wealth to manipulate his targets. The main crew has ties to drugs, smuggling, prostitution and practically anything else. He runs his business from his multitude of casinos and has deep family ties to to the business. He started as a poor man, and the richer he became, the more he lusted for money, leaving him with insatiable greed. As the oldest member of Mistral's underground, he is feared and respected, with a reputation spanning decades of tyranny. Truly, he is the Godfather of crime in Mistral.

Xephos - Another legend of the underground. He arrived in Mistral a long while back, and formed a strong alliance with Honeydew. Originally, he was invested in corporate fraud, stock manipulation and money laundering, but soon found a malicious streak within himself; and an uncanny knack with interrogations and knives. Now he works as Honeydew's caporegime, commanding great power and only answering to the Don himself. Despite having dozens of men at his beck and call, he still likes to venture into the fray himself, his slender build and wiry strength an ally on the mean streets of mistral. He is a man of many dark desires, with his darker side always threatening to rear its head.

Livid/Lalna - Once he was one of mistral's most promising scientists; now he is one of it's most preeminent drug dealers. Over the course of the last few years he has supplied the "Main Crew" with copious amounts of drugs, but never allied with them entirely. His genius never faded, but reaching middle age, his body is beginning to. With the authorities closing in he took on an apprentice to teach his ways, to carry on the legacy of his science. He is reluctant to work with the new blood, but will for a price, since he is not entirely comfortable about their unorthodox ways. He goes by many names, making him harder to pin down, allowing him to live and work in the shadows.

Nano - Originally attracted into the business by the New Blood as a smuggler, Livid saw her potential and made her an offer she couldn't refuse. Little is known of Nano's origins, except that the elegant girl hails from the oriental Far East, and has more than just a pretty face. She bares the purple intricate tattoos of the Malaysian street gangs, but is reluctant to tell anyone of their history.

\--------

The New Blood

Sips - The infamous leader of the New Blood is conspicuous, brash and bold. His plans to control Mistral are beginning to take shape, and he enjoys the luxury this brings him. He is a suave gentleman, disguising his rough northern upbringing underneath layers of expensive suits and rare cigars. He may be young and unheralded, but he does know how to make things work in his favour. He may not have the vast riches like Honedew, but he has a mind to get them, and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

Sjin - The bearded maestro. Raised as the son of a farmer, he is tough but caring to the world but is rapidly losing his kindness under the tutelage of the New Blood mafia. A lover not a fighter, Sjin is the king of negotiations and tries to keep the peace in the Mistral underground, and will go to any means to justify the ends. He too is a caporegime, but rarely ever uses these powers, instead relying on words rather than bullets. A little soft in comparison to the others, but his nature is often disarming and allows him to get what he wants. Push him too far, and he can be a formidable foe.

Lomadia - The Owl. She is an assassin for hire, with no ties on either side. She once worked with a partner, but has since lost him. She gained her nickname from her fondness of shadows and darkness, and from her tendency to swoop in and kill things. Her alliances are constantly shifting, and she has had a dark and intimate past with Xephos that very few know about. As of now, she is on the payroll of the New Blood and is one of the most feared combatants in Mistral's underground. No job for her is too much as long as the price is right, and she is as dangerous as she is beautiful.

\---------

Neutrals

Hat trio - On the surface these three young men are homeless and have seen better days, but in reality are in the centre of Mistral underground's information web. They know everything about anyone, and often act as middlemen between the two gangs, preferring not to pick sides. Trading in information leaves them an ideal target get for the police. Constantly on the move, they find you, rather than you finding them.

Ridge - The corrupt mayor. Over the course of his political influence in Mistral, he has been "supported" by both gangs and is easily swayed to either side. With votes and elections rigged in his favour, he is a permanent figure in Mistral and his political power makes him a valuable asset to whichever side he belongs.

Turps - Owner of the 1926 club, an ex-speakeasy that now serves as a safe meeting place for the rival gangs. Guns are handed in on the door, and he has total control over his domain. It has seen many a shady agreement, and if the public needed to dip into Mistral's underworld this was the perfect place. The bearded man is always ready with a cold drink, or the barrels of his shotgun, and is quick to get any situation under control.

\-------

The Police

Captain Israphel - The newly appointed captain. Recently transferred in to fight the growing crime problem on the streets of Mistral. He is a no-nonsense cop that despite being very by-the-book is an extremely efficient enforcer. He now heads Operation : Sandstorm, an operation given to him by the superintendent to crack down on the organised crime wave. Very quickly his plans are dealing great damage to both sides of the gang war. He is the catalyst for one of Mistral's greatest battles.

Private Littlewood - A snivelling, annoying man with a chip on his shoulder. He follows his orders to the word and is determined to clean the streets of Mistral. Despite this, he is frequently trapped at the sidelines of fighting the city's crime syndicate. Now, he has volunteered for Operation : Sandstorm and is willing to do anything to gain the favour of his captain.

\--------------

Chapter 1 - Unsettling news.

The back room of the casino was the absolute reflection of the activities it housed. The room was dark and shady, yet lavishly furnished and somewhat comfortable. In the centre of the room was a large leather-topped table, adorned with several pieces of paper, a reasonable wad of cash and a small box containing three needles and a variety of substances. Behind the table there was an equally grandiose leather chair that was old and worn, but was imposing and impressive nonetheless. In the chair sat an equally sizeable man, his frame silhouetted by the dim light of the lamps on the wall. He sat irritably and pondered the situation he was now placed in. With a tired arm, he reached over to the small wooden box, when suddenly there was a sharp knock at the door and he quickly withdrew his hand.

"Come in" the large man announced loudly, his voice booming through the office. Through the door entered Xephos, the sounds of the casino echoing through the doorway until it closed. "You wanted to see me boss?" Enquired Xephos, his voice steady and controlled. "Yes, old friend, I did." Said Don Honedew, shifting in his chair slightly, "I need to talk to you about this new police captain, and his exploits around Mistral. As I'm sure you're aware, we lost two of our best bookmakers to his schemes last week and I have heard that the New Blood have suffered similar losses." Xephos poured himself a drink and was intently listening to his boss' speech. "So," he continued,"we cannot risk being put out of business by some two bit cop who thinks he is bigger than the families. What I want you to do is to go to the Hat trio and organise a meeting with the new bloods. If we are going to make this bastard pay, we'll need to stand together."

"Are you sure?" Xephos asked "Those New Bloods have been itching to off you since they turned up in Mistral!". Honeydew nodded thoughtfully and replied "Do it at the '26 club, we'll be safe there." Xephos set down the empty glass and swallowed "Ok boss, I'll keep you updated." He turned for the door and began to walk away from the desk. "Before you go" the older man said "Take this, and spread it around, make sure people now that we mean to make peace." Honeydew stood and handed Xephos a spectacularly heavy bag and then ushered him out the door.

\---------

Chapter 2 - Networking

Almost as soon as Xephos had stepped out of the door, a sleek black car was waiting for him. He quickly entered the car, and put the briefcase on the seat beside him. "Stoneholm theatre, please" Xephos instructed. The driver, knowing not to question his orders, slowly pulled away.

As the lights of the casino slowly faded away, Xephos placed the case onto his lap and clicked open the two gleaming silver clasps. When he looked inside, the contents of the case made his eyes widen and he had to stop his mouth from hanging open too long. The interior of the black case was lined with red velvet and was dived down the middle into 2 equal parts. In the left partition there were countless neatly stacked gold bars, each stamped with the logo of the Main Crew. These alone was worth thousands of dollars and was a big show of power and wealth.

The right side of the partition was full of neatly arranged $5000 stacks of the Main Crew's casino chips. By Xephos' reckoning, there was enough there for all of the potential parties at the meeting to have three each. Before he knew it the car was pulling up outside the old, burned out theatre. Quickly, he shut the case and did up the gleaming clasps, thanked the driver and told him to keep the car running outside while he was gone.

Once out of the car, Xephos looked at the face of the theatre. The building was wide and squat, with a low overhang that used to display the titles of the shows that used to play there. Most of the face of the building had been blackened by fire and the only obvious details of the front were the grimy windows that were cut above the overhang. Xephos took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the case handle, adjusted his tie and headed around the side of the theatre.

After a short walk he approached a wide rusting red door in the alleyway. Above the flaking paint of the door, through the dim light, he could see faintly the words 'Stage Door'. Slowly he raised his hand and knocked three times on the heavy steel. Suddenly, without warning, a previously unseen grate slid back in the door, and two glinting eyes peered through the darkness. As quickly as the eyes appeared they withdrew and the door was flung open to reveal one of the Hat trio. Xephos was immediately pulled into the other man's arms, into a strong brotherly embrace. He was then thrust out to arms length. "Xeph, it's been too long man!" said the small-ish man. "You too Trott." replied Xephos. They exchanged pleasantries and caught up with one another as they made their way further into the ancient dressing rooms.

After navigating what seemed like a labyrinth of backstage corridors, they found their way into the large space behind the centre of the stage. The space was largely occupied by disused and scorched props and ropes, giving a mechanical and eerie feel. Trott led them both to a painted, worn wooden table that was clearly from some tacky fairytale play. In the centre of the table, a rusted, old paraffin lamp was lit; casting flickering shadows up onto the cluttered walls.

Both men sat, the mood suddenly very serious; the previous banter now gone. "What is it that you need?" Trott asked, his voice now stern and tough. "A message sending out. To everyone." replied Xephos, his eyes cool and calculating. "What do you mean, everyone?" asked Trot again, a little unsure of the other man's intentions. "Everyone." Xephos replied bluntly. Trott lifted his fedora from his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "It can be arranged." he said, firmly planting the hat back in place, "For the right price of course. And, for a request this big, double the usual fee." Now it was Xephos' turn to pause and think. "Alright," he agreed after a long pause, handing over a large wad of cash, "tell them to meet at the '26 club on Friday night. And not to try anything stupid." Trott leant back in his chair, "I don't think people will be that interested..." Xephos picked up the black leather briefcase and slid it onto the table. "Make sure everyone gets some, and they'll turn up." Trott looked inside the case. "It's serious then huh? I'll get right on it."

Both men stood, shook hands and the mood was somewhat jovial once again. Trott lead Xephos out and assured him the job would be done. As soon as the door closed on Xephos, he made his way to the phone booth across the street. Under the burning glare of the street lamp he inserted a few quarters and quickly dialled a number. He said four words down the line "It is done boss." Then quickly hung up, and walked off into the night.

\------------

Chapter Three - Morning post.

There was sharp knock at the door of Sips' and Sjin's office. The room was a bombsite of disorganisation, and both men stumbled towards the door, knocking over lamps and piles of papers as they went. Eventually they both reached the door. Sjin was just about to open the door when Sips stopped him. "Wait up, bearded bonehead, this might be a trap." said Sips with the disappointment of a tired teacher. Sjin nodded, a little embarrassed he had let down his guard so easily. He slowly pulled the door open, and standing there was not a gangster poised with a tommy gun, but a small package and a note; each stamped with the Hat trio's unmistakable top hat logo. The bearded apprentice rolled up an unruly sleeve and picked up the two objects, curious to see what the Hat trio had in store for them. Sips immediately took the letter, opened it and scanned the document with surprising speed. "Those old guys down at the main crew want a meet up. What do those idiots think we are, born yesterday? They can't just talk us out of this city!" Sips paused and looked over at Sjin. Sjin was standing with the now open package, his eyes fixed on the riches in front of him. "Sjin, these guys are serious, unless that gold is dynamite, they really are serious."

The noise of Lalna's lab was strange, the old warehouse building was infested with seagulls, so their squawking was constant. Coupled with this was the static blasting from his crackling radio, and the bubbling and burning sounds of the lab's activities. Despite all this, a sharp knock against the metal doors rang out through the lab. He quickly made his way through the lab and to the door, slightly unsteady on his feet due to heavy drug usage and his advancing age. He heaved open the door and through the glaring morning sun could see a very unusual sight. A package and an envelope, both stamped with the infamous top hat.

In contrast, however Kim's apartment was far less noisy. The gentle singing of birds drifted through her bedroom window, as she lay sprawled across the soft silken sheets of her bed. She snapped awake at the sound of a sharp knock at the door. She quickly got to her feet and wrapped her naked body in one of the silk sheets, walked to the door and eased it open. She too was greeted with a strange sight. A letter, coupled with a package, and the top hat logo, more well-known and respected than the Jolly Rodger.

At the far end of the scale was Lomadia's apartment. It was dark, silent, and was hostile in every way possible. She sat near one of the windows, by a table covered in the dismantled parts of a Thompson machine gun that she was currently systematically cleaning ad reassembling. Lomadia was the only person who could ever spot the trio at work. She had seen Trott approach the apartment building, knowing that he was not a threat she had allowed herself to relax and go back to her work. The knock at the door still made her jump though; keen reflexes and years of living in danger always kept her on her toes. She waited, knowing that those Hat boys hated it when she caught them at work, and it usually led to some sort of argument. She opened the door, expecting a contract, and she was pleasantly surprised when there was a letter and a package.

\-----------

Chapter 4 - Meeting time

The closed sign hung heavy against the door of the 1926 club and the sun had began to set in the distance, casting a pinkinsh-orange haze against the night sky. The fading light reflected against the slick black automobile as it drove into the street and parked across the street from the bar. Once it had stopped, the chauffeur, dressed all in black, opened the car's back door. Out stepped Xephos, dressed in a dark pinstripe so sharp it was almost vicious. After him followed Honedew, wearing a much more traditional navy blue suit, that was exquisitely tailored, but did little to disguise the older man's slowly diminishing frame. They both headed discreetly into the bar, and soon after the driver pulled away.

A couple of minutes later another black car pulled up. It was neither as big or flashy as the Main Crew's but it was adequate for men of their social standings. Two men got out of their own accord, and Sjin banged on the roof of the car and it quickly left. Sips made his way into the bar first, barely opening the green wooden door as he did . The bearded man followed quickly, closing the door firmly behind him as he did.

Shortly after the New Blood had arrived, Lalna and Nano arrived in his beaten up old Ford. He parked it in the alleyway and held the door for Nano to enter before he did. Quiet enveloped the street once again. Finally, a taxi came trundling up the street. Lomadia exited the car, forked over a couple of green notes and pulled on her suit jacket before entering the bar.

The 1926 club was essentially two rooms. The first room the patrons entered was the small reception room, in here a mysterious Eastern European-sounding steward would take the coats, jackets, scarves and weaponry from the potential customers. He would quickly seal the weapons and jackets away in a combination locked, steel riveted storage locker in the reception. Then, give the patrons a ticket to get their possessions back on the way out, and then allow them to proceed through into the main bar.

The main bar was a huge contrast to the oppressive and tiny reception. It was quite a large room, with a long drinks bar running down the right hand side of the room. Further into the centre of the room there were several round oaken tables with several seats surrounding each one. At the far back wall of the club was the stage, which featured many acts over the course of the clubs history. Anything from Jazz bands to burlesque dancers to soul singers to comedians hand performed on the iconic stage in its hayday. Now however, the club was sparsely filled, and only a few paraffin lamps on the bar and tables served to light the room. Over at the bar, Xephos was having a muted conversation with the barkeep, Turps, and was slowly sipping away at a scotch.

"So ridge isn't coming then?" Xephos said more than a little annoyed. The barkeep shook his head. "Ridge definitely isn't coming. He is out of town and says that people seeing him going into a bar filled with gangsters isn't the best press. However, he did say that since you guys have been such good 'friends' over the past few years, he will be happy to comply with any agreement you make." Xephos took another sip of his drink, and did his best to look happy. "That is good news, friend, it's better he's with us than against us."

The barkeep turned and busied himself with something behind the counter and Xephos turned around so he faced the room, and leant back against the bar. Sitting at the table closest to the stage was Honeydew, a glass of water set neatly in front of him. Standing by the stage were Sips and Sjin, talking quickly in hushed voices. Both were wearing wide, almost comical zoot suits that were the fashion of the time and Sips was puffing away on a long glowing cigar as he talked.

Further in amongst the tables sat Lalna and Nano. Lalna was wearing an old, chemically stained tweed jacket, that made him look not unlike a college professor. Being a man who was always working, he was scribbling down notes and diagrams of different chemical compounds, these notes alone were far beyond the most accomplished legitimate pharmacist or chemist. Across the table from the gruff man sat Nano, poised in her chair, wearing a traditional red cheongsam dress, adorned with beautiful flower patterns woven into the tight-fitting silk. From a distance she looked calm and collected, but Xephos' keen eye soon revealed the truth. Every now and then she would glance around the room, fiddle with a hairpin, or start drumming her nails on the table. This was clearly her first time at this kind of meeting.

Further away from the stage sat Lomadia, partially shrouded in shadow, only partly illuminated by her table's lamp. She had hung her suit jacket on the back of the chair and had rolled up her shirt sleeves, totally relaxed in a room filled with wanted criminals. "What a psychopath." Xephos thought to himself as he looked at her. She glanced in his direction and he quickly looked away and took another sip of his drink.

Out of the corner of his eye he could have sworn he saw the curtain of the stage twitch. He was not alarmed, however, since he knew it was probably one of the Hat Trio, who always said they never eavesdropped on this kind of thing, but they always did. Xephos straightened himself up, drained the rest of his drink and set the glass down on the bar. He walked over to the table adjacent to his boss's and sat down.

Shortly after he had done this, the opposing Don and his caporegime walked towards the tables in the centre of the room. Now, opposite Honeydew sat Sips, and directly in front of Xephos sat Sjin. The room fell much quieter now that the two opposing forces had finally approached one another. Everyone but the two Dons was totally silent, and the even then the Dons spoke so quietly that even the caporegimes couldn't hear all the details of the negotiations.

The negotiations seemed to drag on for what seemed like hours. Even Turps, who had seen hundreds of these types of meetings over the years, began to fidget behind the bar. Minutes dragged by and the sound of the bosses' voices remained almost constant. The scribbling of Lalna's pencil came and went like the sea's waves and every now and again there would be the sharp click of a lighter as someone started a new cigarette. Throughout the whole course of the meeting, everyone was constantly flicking their eyes towards the two men who were talking, trying to gauge which side was benefitting the most so far. Despite the lengthy negotiations, the tension in the room didn't waver at all.

Finally, both men stood, the grating of their chairs against the floor snapping all of the room into alertness. Slowly both men turned to face everyone else. The younger man spoke first, always trying to show his authority. "Ok guys," he said, addressing the group, " we've reached an agreement of sorts. All I have to say is that, as much as none of us like this arrangement I think it's for the best. I'll let Honeydew go over the finer details." The older man took a deep breath and addressed the room with a voice that reminded the room why he was the most feared man in Mistral. "Both businesses will pool men resources and wealth, in an attempt to strategically remove the tumour known as Captain Israphel from Mistral. As Don Sips said, none of us like this agreement, but I know my men are loyal, and so does he. Therefore, over the foreseeable future, there shall be no fighting between our businesses and anyone found to breach this truce will face severe consequences regardless of who you report to. However, there is one loose end to this endeavour." Honeydew drew another deep breath and continued. "Everyone in this room has been tried and tested by either one, or both, of our enterprises and we can be ensured there are no leaks, moles or spies in our ranks. Sadly, however, there is one amongst us who both I and my fellow Don have realised we know startlingly little about. We all know who we are talking about, Nano, and we are sure you have the best intentions." He continued, now seeming to speak directly to the Asian girl. "But, we cannot be one hundred percent sure that you are with us, rather than against us. To ensure this, we need someone to perform a little interrogation, to find out a little more about you, strictly business of course."

Xephos leapt at the chance to do what he does best, "Don't worry boss, consider it do-". He was quickly interrupted by his superior. " Xephos," Honeydew said " as much as you'd like to mutilate her with a multitude of knives; you are much better served coordinating the counter-offensive. I hope not to disappoint you friend, but since we are now one joint enterprise, my first instinct was to offer this job to Lomadia." Xephos looked thoroughly downtrodden and both Sips and Sjin shared a glance and a slight smirk. Lomadia leaned forward from her position in the shadows, illuminating her face, and stubbed out her cigarette. "Sure, I suppose it's in my intrests not to be working alongside a rat." Nano was looking panicked and was whispering to Lalna with wide eyes. He made a gesture that was clearly accompanied by some calming words. Sips was next to break the silence, "Excellent then. It's settled, Lomadia, you get to work as soon as you can; the rest of us reconvene on Sunday to discuss tactics, merging our payrolls and joining our assets." He shook hands with the older Don and quickly exited, with Sjin trailing behind like a lost lapdog.

Next to leave were The Main Crew bosses, the disgruntled Xephos wearing his fedora low to cover his anger. The older man was far more relaxed and had his hand on Xephos' shoulder, stopping him from showing his true feelings too much. Once the heavy bar interior door had swung closed behind the two gangsters the bar became even quieter than she though possible. Nano was pleading with Lalna now, "Please, don't let them hurt me, we've been through so much already! I-I'll be no use to you if I'm hurt. Please." Lalna looked the worried girl in her slightly teary eyes and said with rare genuine emotion "I'm sorry, there's very little I can do. I'll talk to Lom, see if I can get her to go easy on you. Ok?" The Asian girl wiped her eyes and nodded, her once pristine cheongsam now wrinkled due to her nervous and erratic movements.

The scientist made his way over to the patiently waiting assassin and took a seat in front of her, leaving the smaller girl standing awkwardly at her table. He looked Lomadia straight in her ice blue eyes. "Look, Lom, we've known each other for years now; hell, we've even worked together. So, I'm going to talk to you on a level playing field. Go easy on Nano, she's young and scared, but um, she's very useful to my operations" Lalna hesitated as he spoke, choosing his words a little too carefully for them to sound natural. The blonde woman smiled, "Is that a rare spark of emotion I see in our resident man of science?". She knew what she could see, and loved to tease anyone she could. The genius looked flustered and quickly blurted, "N-no, I mean, it would be detrimental to my operations to lose her. Purely business of course." The smiling killer's expression didn't waver, she was loving this. "Oh, well, I mean if it's just business, you won't mind me pulling a few teeth then." She smirked "I can't go easy in her, I'm sorry, but she's to much of a risk." This last part was pure and serious, and Lalna knew this interrogation was inevitable.

Behind him the blonde woman lead his accomplice towards the door, and he couldn't bear to turn around to watch them go. Once he heard the door close he slowly stood and walked over to the bar, where Turps was waiting with a whiskey. The bearded man said quietly, "She's made of strong stuff right, she'll be fine." The scientist ignored this comment and quickly gulped down the golden liquid. He hung his head, and hoped that she had nothing to hide.

 

 

\---------

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the first chapter. I was considering re-writing the whole thing, but I didn't want to change it too much. Hence, this is the mildly updated and fixed version.
> 
> - _TheNewCorleone_


	2. Enemies, Truth and Evil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for an interrogation.  
> Safe to say things get a little heated.
> 
> (Also, a little of Nano's backstory is included, to balance things out a little.)
> 
> Meanwhile, the ever present threat of Israphel grows in the darkness.

\------------

**Book II**

\------------

Chapter 5 - First Impressions

Lomadia led the young girl from the bar quickly, guiding her with a firm hand on her upper arm, making sure she couldn't get away. The blonde assassin was handed her pistol and knife on the way out, and took the small snub nosed revolver that Nano had brought as well. All of the weaponry found it's way discreetly into Lomadia's jacket with practiced ease, whilst the beautiful Asian girl was powerless to intervene. 

The taller woman was just leading Nano out of the old, dirty wooden door when she stopped and noticed something. The smaller girl was shaking. Not shivering like a person stuck out in the cold, but quivering almost. This slight motion under her fingers made Lomadia very pleased, because at heart, she truly was a predator and she loved the feeling of pure terror people gave off when she was around them. Even hard-men like Sips and Sjin would flinch if she moved suddenly. The only person who didn't fear her was Xephos and she knew, under the layers of corporate businessman, there was the same predator in him as there was in her.

She looked down at her captive, and Nano returned her gaze. Lomadia looked into those deep brown eyes and felt nothing but pure glee as she saw the very soul of the girl trembling with fear. She broke the intense stare and forced the girl in red out onto the street with her. An extra black car was waiting for her, left by one of the gangs as transport for her captive that was more reliable than a taxi. She roughly escorted Nano over the road to the car and bundled her inside with the speed and efficiency of a policeman making an arrest. 

Once her prisoner was safely in the car, Lomadia made her way around to the far side and entered the slick black vehicle. The driver had clearly been thoroughly briefed on his passengers, since when they were both seated, the heavy door locks clunked loudly shut. Nano physically flinched at the sound and quickly looked towards her captor. "W-where are you taking me?" she asked, her voice small and trembling as she seemed to shrink back into the chair. Lomadia smiled back at Nano, and with a tiredness in her voice that suggested she had said this a thousand times before. "I can't tell you, if you're a rat, it won't be a safe location anymore... That is, if you make it out alive to tell anyone." 

Just as she said this, Lomadia reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a dark silk handkerchief. With hands that were both slender and strong, she grabbed Nano's shoulders and positioned her so the back of her luscious red dress and short bobbed hair was all that she could see. The young girl was like clay in Lomadia's hands as she wrapped the thick handkerchief over Nano's eyes, removing her sense of sight. She tied the handkerchief in a tight knot at the back of her head, causing Nano to jerk backwards a little as she did so. Every single movement that the young girl made exuded vulnerability, and this was causing Lomadia to practically drool with predatory lust.

Lomadia allowed her captive to resume her usual seated position and then whispered her destination to the driver. Like a dutiful servant he nodded his head and his car pulled out into the street, and the 1926 club faded into the distance. Outside of the car windows Lomadia watched as the sights of Mistral scrolled by. Illuminated under street lamps, every detail was cast into blinding clarity. The old facades, classic institutions of the city, stood beside shining new enterprises; and nearly every single one had at some point been linked to the gangs of Mistral. She wondered to herself what the city would have been without the gangs. As the car drove further downtown, the true cost of the gang wars became more apparent. Drug dealers hung around on street corners, and clusters of girls stood under street lamps, their beady eyes always searching for new customers. Lomadia wondered how the high ranking members could act like kings when this is what there kingdom was built on. This thought troubled her little as long as she was getting paid, and she knew that the job in hand would reward her very well.

The blonde contract killer turned her head to face her current line of work. Nano sat with her back pressed far into the leather upholstery and her hands tightly gripping the seat. The silky red dress tightly clung to her body like a second skin, every inch of the fabric intensifying her small movements and reflecting the light. The neck of the dress was tight against the prisoner's throat and accentuated her breathing, making her chest's rise and fall all the more obvious. The arms of the dress ended just below her shoulders and the red silk framed the deep purple tattoos that swirled around her slender arms. The tattoos were as slender and delicate as she was; they were an intricate blend of deep purple lines of varying thickness that were so exquisitely formed that they gave the impression of an almost natural appearance. They ended just before her wrist and disappeared up into the sleeves of the dress. When she turned her head, the purple lines became visible just above the dress' high neck. At the bottom of the dress, a long slit ran down one side, and the flesh underneath was also covered with the same distinctive tattoos. The girl's tight bob was pushed slightly askew by the thick blindfold and every now and then she would turn her head, her ears straining to find clues to her whereabouts but to no avail.

Lomadia smiled, the prospect of having this girl all to herself delighted her to her very core. She leaned back in her seat and did what she always did to relax, she took out her pistol, snapped open the cylinder and systematically removed and reinserted each cartridge separately, then snapped it back into place. Each click was rhythmic and soothing to Lomadia's ears, but to Nano each click was like thunder, causing her to flinch drastically. As the car drew off, she repeated this process over and over again and Nano grew more and more terrified as the time passed. 

\-------------

Chapter 6 - Home Sweet Home

Eventually the car arrived at it's destination. Lomadia leaned over and handed the driver a couple of green bills. This was unnecessary, since he was on the gangs' payroll, but it was good practice for a contract killer of her standings to keep people on her side, regardless of whether they were a driver or a Don. She quickly left the car and took her captive out onto the street. Nano stood with unsteady feet and arms outstretched, trying to gauge her surroundings. Lomadia smirked at her helplessness and looked up at the apartment building they now stood in front of. The building was old and dirty and was crammed in alongside countless others just the same. However, in Lomadia's eyes, it was perfect. The landlord was less than attentive, making it easy for her to go about her work; and the location meant that she was never too far away from either the street-level crooks of downtown Mistral or the mastermind criminals in their casinos in the classy part of town. For any other assassin at any other time, taking a prisoner to a place where you live is suicide and draws too much attention, but with both gangs looking out for her and with time a precious commodity it was the most logical option. Also, she knew if anything went wrong, she could always move into one of her fallback safe houses that she kept in case of emergencies.

Once again she grabbed Nano's arm and hauled her through the building's door with little resistance. Inside the building was almost worse than the outside. The walls were stained with deep patches of damp rising from the floor. The floor tiles were cracked and uneven, and a large cobweb hung in the far corner of the entrance. In the centre of the room sat a rusting old elevator that was clearly in such a state of disrepair, to use it would be an almost fatal mistake. To the right of the elevator there was a short passageway that led to the beginning of a flight of stairs. Nano was brought to the bottom of these stairs and with stumbling feet, was forced to ascend them. After what felt like a long climb both women reached a doorway with a faded number five painted onto the chipped wood. Lomadia opened the door and guided her prisoner through. They walked a couple of steps down the hallway that came after the door that they had just walked through. Lomadia then stopped and turned towards the door and swiftly unlocked it with keys produced from deep within the folds of her jacket. The door swung open and she entered the apartment and pulled Nano in with her. 

The room was dark and the only source of light was the light from the street that filtered through the waves of thin blinds that cascaded down the grimy, dust covered windows. Lomadia dragged out a heavy wooden chair that was previously at the table by the window. Nano flinched and pulled her arms towards her body instinctively, but she soon realised that the sound had been mostly harmless. Lomadia leant over the desk and lit a small lamp that sat perched in the centre. The lamp cast a reasonably strong light and illuminated a portion of the room. Three walls of the room were now revealed by the light and each one seemed to be outfitted with everything a master killer needed and more. The wall opposite the entrance bore the dirty windows. Leant beside the table and windows was a selection of the latest firearms, ranging from Tommy guns to sawn off shotguns to long-range bolt action rifles. On the wall to the left of the doorway, there was a large map of Mistral pinned to the wall, with destinations circled and photos of people pinned to it, that had been crossed out menacingly with thick black ink. The other wall had the door into the hallway. This was quite bare, bar a smaller side table with a stack of newspapers and a long serrated knife on top of it. Resting against the legs of the side table was a set of varying sizes of worn, old-fashioned dumbbells that were clearly in frequent use. The fourth wall was still shrouded in darkness despite the glow of the lamp.

The chair now stood with the back facing towards the map wall, facing directly into the darkness. Lomadia pushed the trembling girl into the old wooden chair with some considerable force. Lomadia walked into the darkness for a moment to gather her tools. "W-what are you going to do with me?" asked Nano, her meek voice travelling into the darkness. Lomadia returned, her hands full with thick leather belts and replied "You'll find out... But don't worry, my methods are much less painful than Xephos'. He would have pulled fingernails, or teeth, or maybe even taken bolt cutters to your toes. I, however, have much more precise and efficient methods." Just as she finished speaking, Lomadia grabbed one of her prisoner's wrists and used one of the belts to secure it to the sturdy arm of the chair. Nano squeaked and flinched in shock, and before she knew it, her other arm was restrained in the same fashion. Then, each of her forearms were strapped down by more belts. Shortly after the arm restraints had been applied, Nano had begun to panic and thrash around in the chair. Aiming to cease the struggle, Lomadia tied her legs to the chair legs with the last of her belts. Nano's muscles strained against the thick leather straps, but no avail, and she found herself completely immobilised. "P-please don't hurt me..." was all the girl managed to whisper as her body slumped against the chair, utterly defeated by the devious bonds. 

\------------

Chapter 7 - A new kind of drug

"I won't hurt you if I don't have to."said Lomadia, her voice playful and patronising "Now let's have a look at those big brown eyes." Lomadia untied the heavy handkerchief and Nano looked straight into Lomadia's eyes as soon as she did; small tears had begun to form in the corners of her dark eyes and the pupils were heavily dilated from the darkness. Lomadia grinned, barely able to control herself. "So," the beautiful blonde said, walking around the chair and trailing her hands over Nano's shoulders "can I trust you? More to the point, can the gangs?" Nano nodded "O-of course. I've been working with both sides for over two years now, you know that." Lomadia paused and ran her fingers through her long blond hair and ran her eyes over her captive. 

Slowly, Lomadia reached out a hand and undid the top fastener of the cheongsam and watched the girl inside it shudder with anticipation. "As much as I'd love to believe that," Lomadia explained, her voice low and husky "we've had deep cover police in the business longer than you've been here. So I'll ask you this, did Lalna ever tell you he once worked for the government during the war before he went crooked?" Nano took a moment to think and then shook her head, realising how little she knew about her partner. "Well," Lomadia continued "since he hasn't told you I will. They needed a drug perfect for finding the truth, and if you even know Lalna at all, you'll know that would be just too good of a challenge for him to pass up. Anyway, he made the drug and the government paid him and he buried the whole incident with his legitimate career. However, when I first met him, I did a little background digging and found it all out." Lomadia paused, and brought out a small syringe from her pocket."Sure enough, he needed me to perform some services for him and I procured some of this drug as a reward." Lomadia rolled the syringe in her fingers and looked at the clear liquid inside. "W-what will it do to me?" Asked Nano, her shaking limbs straining against the belts. The blonde woman just smiled and slowly approached Nano's immobilised arm with the sharp needle. "You'll find out..." she said, just before piercing the soft, delicate skin in the crook of her prisoners elbow, allowing the drug to make its way into the system.

As soon as the drug entered her system, Nano quickly felt the immediate weakness gained from a strong opiate without the clouding of mind. Then, she felt her weakened body jolt as if it had been infused with electricity. Every nerve stood on end and her vision sharpened into a drastic focus as the room swam around her. Nano bowed her head, unable to think clearly when suddenly all of her muscles tensed as she quickly began to notice a strong pain in her chest like fire, burning her heart. The pain subsided a little and her chest heaved, her body hoping for oxygen to dilute the chemicals in her blood. Eventually she found enough strength to lift up her head to see her captor standing watching with lust in her eyes like no other. Lomadia's voice seemed to echo loudly in her ears when she spoke. "Like it? Thought so. What it does is amplify the sensitivity of your nerve endings, making you a little more... Pliable." With that said Lomadia ran her fingernails over the exposed skin on Nano's upper arm. The noise that poured from between the Malaysian girl's lips was utterly feral; each fingernail was like electricity to her, covering her whole arm in swathes of pain and pleasure. The leather straps held her in place safely however, stopping her from escaping the tormenting sensation. "P-please," Nano begged "don't do that again..." Lomadia smiled, the temptation to ravage this poor girl ever present in her mind. "You really did like it then."  
"Why are you doing this, you can trust me!" Nano pleaded with her captor, her body still recovering from a single touch. "Doing this means that when I'm finished, you definitely won't have the heart left in you to lie."

After a couple of minutes of recovery, Lomadia approached the chair once again and let her devious mind go to work. "You look a little hot, need a hand?" Lomadia grinned and outstretched her feminine fingers and undid the top three fasteners of the red silk dress. Immediately Nano felt the cold air on her exposed chest. Her entire body trembled with cold and her breath became more rapid as she writhed against her restraints once again. The feeling of ice permeated to her very core and her thoughts blurred once more as the burning cold attacked her. In the darkness Nano could see her malevolent captor almost bristling with glee; every movement she made as the poison in her veins attacked only served to pleasure Lomadia more. Unable to hold back any longer, the blonde killer's base instincts were allowed to take over as she advanced on her prey once again. "Cold now?" the killer played around happily. Nano looked up to the source of the voice, her eyes hollow and darkened and nodded a shaky head. "Aw baby..." The merciless woman patronised her prisoner. Slowly and steadily, Lomadia reached out a soft hand that was both still and focused and yet somehow eager and hungry. Nano could only watch as it made its way into the confined space of the silk dress. It hovered there for a second and Nano gritted her teeth. Quickly the vicious hand began its assault on the bare flesh it found. It started exploring every shaking inch of skin it could find, caressing and molesting as it went. When it neared the more sensitive areas of Nano's now heaving chest, the young girl screamed out in frustration, pain and pleasure. Through teary eyes Nano could see that the other free hand had found its way between Lomadia's thighs, humiliating Nano even further. Through the mists of her drug addled brain Nano cursed the fact that she was unable to prevent herself from putting on such a show with her body, it was as if the two were no longer connected.

The attack slowly intensified, reaching a point at which Nano's eyes began to flutter and she danced with the edge of unconsciousness. Suddenly, the hand slowed almost to a stop and began to spasm. Through her teary eyes, Nano could see that Lomadia was so ensconced with her own pleasure that she entirely had forgotten about the other girl. The restrained girl felt sick to her core as she watched the lethal woman squirm as she focused all of her energies on getting all of the satisfaction she could out of their encounter. Nano knew that this was wrong on every level, but in some seedy, deprived part of her brain Nano felt a little tinge of pleasure as she watched this powerful woman contorting every toned muscle in her body in front of her very eyes. Lalna had taught her the science behind this type of reaction, the rush of dopamine, adrenaline and other hormones and the speeding up of neurotransmission as the brain has a momentary lapse due to all of the conflicting chemicals vying for attention. However, the effects were far more than what Lalna had described; and Nano watched with sickened pleasure as the blonde hair fell about and the killers breath quickened. Eventually, after a few minutes the animalistic woman gave a low moan and her whole body shuddered. After a quick recovery, Lomadia straightened herself up and undid a couple of her shirt buttons to cool off. Then, she said two words that made the terrified Malasian girl tense every muscle in her body and made her lips drain of blood. "Your turn." Uttered the now refocused killer.

The onslaught that ensued was nothing less than inhumane. Lomadia's skilled hands quickly found their way between Nano's now aching thighs and rapidly located her most sensitive spot. With the drug still keeping a strong hold, the older woman soon had Nano moaning through gritted teeth. Every touch was like a sensory overload and each movement came faster and faster, stopping any chance of recovery. After an extremely short period of time, Lomadia found her hands being coated in a wet warmth that only served to spur her on. With every second Nano's body struggled to control itself. With her limbs restrained she was at her captor's mercy and she found herself being forced over the edge of pleasure over and over again. Every time her reaction was stronger; and every time her super-sensitivity was causing raptures of electricity all over her body. The leather straps were inescapable, and she had no way of stopping this violent woman from using her most private areas as her playthings, and this just kept going repeatedly. Nano's legs were shaking and she was dripping wet, but the attack continued as she screamed for mercy. In Nano's exhausted mind every second she sat in the chair was like a minute, and every minute like an hour. So many times, she tried to stop Lomadia's cruel hands, but to no avail. After a few more minutes of physical manipulation she was no longer screaming words but half-sobbed moans that were accompanied by progressively more and more erratic attempts to escape her bondage. Eventually the torture was becoming too much for Nano's small body, and she was struggling to breathe when suddenly everything stopped. All she could hear was her own deep ragged breaths. All she could smell was the unmistakable smell of sex. All she could feel was the soaking moisture between her legs and an unbearable empty sensation now that she was no longer being touched. 

Out of the darkness she heard a voice that she had learned to hate, but in the depths of her darkest desires had learned to crave. "Mmmm. That was fun. Who knew you were such a little slut? Cavorting around; dripping wet and screaming like an animal. So, now that I've got you where I want you, you'll tell the truth." Drawing on her last ounces of strength Nano found a way to reply. "I could still be lying to you..." Lomadia's voice returned again. "The torture you've just experienced was what it feels like when you feel something good, like me using you as my little sex doll. Imagine what real pain feels like." From the darkness Nano heard the flick of a switchblade. She shuddered in the now drenched chair. "Ok, I'll tell you what you want to know..." Nano said, her voice shaking and weak. 

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Chapter 8 - A Princess Of The Street.

Nano sat in a small plastic chair in the waiting room, the walls bare and dirty. The room had a lone light hanging from the centre of the room, which two flies danced around constantly. A tall door sat opposite the young child, monumental in comparison to the small girl's size. The top half of the door was grimy frosted glass through which faint moving silhouettes of adults could be seen. She strained her eyes to see who was on the other side of the thick glass, because she knew whoever it was, they were going to take her away from this orphanage that she had lived in for as long as she could remember. She was just eleven years old and in her mind was old enough to be out in the world, living a life that she was in control of; in her mind the person behind the door was the gateway to that life.

Sadly, that was not the truth, the woman behind the door, whom Nano would come to call Mother was one of the most violent and feared criminals in the Far East. She took the young Nano and took her into her most lucrative industry. As Nano grew over the years she was a gawky and small teenager, so she was never employed to 'please' any of the male gangsters as the other girls in her new home often were. Instead, she was put to work using her big brown eyes to recruit new young girls into the business. Nano knew in her soul that it wasn't right, but the mind numbing waves of heroin quickly quelled those thoughts, and her mother knew that was her vice. For the next few years, Nano lived her sheltered life in the dirty back alleys of the East, going through the motions of gaining these girls' trust, then manipulating them into her Mother's service. The drugs made this period of her life a myriad of dreamlike trances, until the day her Mother was shot dead in her own apartment. It was at this point Nano made up her mind, at the age of nineteen, to leave her home and flee to the West, and try for the life she had dreamed of when she was still young.

However,once she arrived, she found with what little skills she had were useless to the average Western employer and work was not abundant for an orphan Asian girl. Moreover, she had gone for months without any drugs, she found she was shaking and becoming weaker by the day. In the last throes of desperation, she heard of two new criminals, vying for control of the city of Mistral. Knowing they were her only hope, she made for the city, and started smuggling small items for them. The pay was enough to keep her fed and sheltered, but not enough to keep up her addiction. Fortunately for her, she was tasked by the New Bloods to ferry some of Lalna's materials to his lab. Upon seeing her in the state she was in, the scientist took pity on her, and gave her a permanent job as his assistant. He then took it upon himself to medicate her and if she needed, supply her with stronger and stronger doses. On the surface, he allowed her to stay because she functioned so well when she was on drugs that he found some scientific curiosity in her. In actuality, he had found he cared very much for her and had never felt more sadness than when he had found her; standing at his front door, with sunken eyes and shaking hands. It was in Lalna's labs she found her true calling, he kept her needs sated and in return, she performed all the tasks his aged body could no longer undertake.

*********************  
Nano blinked in the harsh light of the morning sun and tried to get a handle on her surroundings. She was slumped in an awkward position against a heavy steel door. She heard the squawking of seagulls and knew where she was immediately. She was at the place she felt safest, she was at Lalna's lab. Her mind reeled with the events of the past night, and she remembered passing out in Lomadia's apartment after convincing her after hours of so called torture, that she wasn't a traitor to their cause. With great effort, she stood herself up on shaking legs and knocked on the cold steel with a limp palm. After a short pause, the heavy door grated open and the light struck Lalna's face. He looked his assistant up and down; he hair and makeup were a total mess, and her dress was wrinkled and torn. He managed to speak eventually "What did she do to you? Are you Ok?" he asked. Nano nodded, and a brief smile flickered across her face. "It wasn't too bad..." She managed to whisper before her vision darkened and she fell into the arms of her friend.

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Chapter 9 - The beginnings of a Shadow

In a dark room two men sat, barely visible to one another. The first man spoke, his voice deep and grating. "So it's settled then you'll do it? You'll help us catch these crooks?" The other man leant back in his chair, "Yes, just so long as you keep your end of the bargain. $250,000 and someplace safe for me where I can live my new life comfortably." The first man paused, "Of course we will. We share a common interest. And I am a man of my word." The second man paused, "Then it's a deal. I will do it Captain Israphel." The two men shook hands. The captain spoke "Thank you very much, you will be very well rewarded Mister...?" The question trailed off. "Turps" the second man replied.

\------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun chapter to write, I'll admit. It is good to see my two favourite girls getting along though. Also, I'm quite glad I managed to get Israphel in there too. 
> 
> \- There is another chapter on the way. It will likely take a while though. I'll try to make it worth the wait.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed.  
> As always, thanks for the read.  
> \- TheNewCorleone


	3. Knife Edge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We return to Mistral city, to find a world of crime turned on its head by a turncoat of epic proportions. Watch as the drama unfolds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit, it's back. I never thought it would happen, it isn't what I originally planned, but it's 10 times better than the first two chapters. Looking back, they were pretty bad, I might even re write them. If there are any inconsistencies with characters/plot, that's too bad. Trying to pick up a story after so long is hard. 
> 
> Either way, Thanks for the read
> 
> _TheNewCorleone_

**Book III**

Chapter 10 - The War Room

It had been six short months since Mark "Turps" Turpin had flipped, leaving everyone he had ever came into contact with in the Mistral City underground completely compromised. One single conversation had led the police to systematically shut down every bookmaker, drug dealer and racketeering operation that either side had ever set up. Sending the need to survive, both sides had retreated to the apartment building that Lomadia had once called her safe house. Now, practically every room was filled with a gangster of some description. In one room, rough looking Nano sat with lighter and spoon in hand, while Lalna sat perched at a desk, looking more fragile than ever. In other rooms, lower down members of the gangs slept three in a room, trying to conserve space. However, the largest apartment, which had been Lomadia's inconspicuous dark hiding place, had been transformed into a bustling war room.

A map of the city had been erected in the main area, with potential areas circled, for use in what minimal crime could be attempted under the nazi-like regime of Captain Israphel. The bald man had acted fast, and now the remaining avenues for organised crime are slowly drying up for everyone. Even opportunist criminals had been deterred by the increased police presence in the city. In the bedroom of the apartment lay Honeydew in his boxers; his chest wrapped heavily in darkened bandages. During a raid on one of his casinos, the old man had been unfortunate enough to catch a bullet with his lung while he escaped. The in-house doctor had done a good job of patching him up, but the man's advancing age and history of substance abuse had meant that the wound had never really healed properly. So now he spent most of his time in the bed, whilst Xephos handled what was left of his crew. Xephos stood in front of the map, deep in conversation with his former rival, Sips. "I just don't see how we can afford to keep guys on that block." Argued the slim man. "The New Blood will have to finance the whole thing yourselves if you want to control 9th. We are trying to stay centralised. Don't you understand?" Sips began to retort, "Look if we don't keep push our goods out in places like 9th, we'll barely have enough to-" His thought was interrupted by two men entering through the apartment's front door. 

There was no more high security at the door to this apartment, since the front entrance to the building was under constant watch by three gang members at any given time. Through the door stepped Smith & Ross, the remaining free members of the Hat boys. "Morning" said Ross briskly, trying not to display any unequal emotion to either gangster. "How's Trott?" asked Xephos, genuinely concerned about their incarcerated friend. "According to our sources, the police are keeping him isolated, and are interrogating him regularly. So far he hasn't given them anything." Replied Smith, his ragged clothes looking a little more worse for wear than usual. "Good," Xephos said solemnly, "but I'm assuming that isn't the only reason you guys ventured out from whatever bolthole you have secreted yourselves in since the police raided the theatre?". The two men seemed to bristle with anticipation, looking at one another, even allowing a slight grin between them. "Well?" Asked Xephos impatiently. "We've found him. The rat. Turps. He's holed up in a small town a few days train ride from here. We have an address and everything." Sips looked unimpressed, and waving his hand dismissively said "I don't buy it, this is the third time you 'totally had this guy pinned down'. The last two times you had us out in the forest for two weeks searching for a cabin that was inhabited not by a dirty traitorous rat, but a nice old couple called Bert and Edith, who didn't appreciate five heavily armed gangsters showing up on their front door." The room was left silent by the rant, and the sound had attracted Lomadia and Sjin to peer through the doorway, looking to see what happened. "Are you quite finished?" Asked Smith, clearly prepared for this sort of thing. "Ladies and gentlemen. I present to you, courtesy of our network of... friends, photographic proof of our quarry; keeping his little rat's tail tucked between his little rat legs in his little rat house in is little rat town." By the end of this speech, Smith was talking through gritted teeth as he became more and more animated. He handed over a crumpled photo of one Mark "Turps" Turpin entering a house in broad daylight. "Well, that certainly is something." Admitted Xephos,"But this time, we aren't going to cock this up. I'm going for him and I'm taking Lomadia. After the arse you made of the first attempt Sips, I'm doing this myself." 

Already, the Hat boys had left the room, slinking of into the darkness. "But-" Sips tried to argue, but was quickly cut off. "Look," Xephos said, "I'm trusting you to keep this place cop free while we're gone. I would ask you to come but we both know we can't spare any higher ups. The address written on this photo is much more specific than last time. This'll just be an in and out job, you won't be missing much." Xephos paused, "And between you and me, I need someone to keep an eye on the boss. That wound of his still isn't healing, and he keeps coughing up blood." Sips took a beat and stopped to think before replying, "Ok, you and Lomadia can go. But while you're away you leave total control to me, no ifs ands or buts." Xephos grinned weakly, "Do you think I expected anything else?" He asked, shaking Sips' hand.

\---------  
Chapter 11 - Road to Ruin

The car was boiling hot, even with both the windows rolled down. Xephos sat in the driver's seat, sweat dripping from his brow as his eyes flicked to the rear-view mirror. He felt rather preoccupied trying to not let his eyes wander of to the passenger seat. Lomadia was smiling to her self, knowing how teasingly distracting she was being. She had reclined her seat a fair way back, and under the guise of being too hot had slowly over the course of the journey had began to unbutton her shirt. Now she sat with her shirt totally unbuttoned, her chest framed by her lacy bra. Periodically we would let her eyes flick over to Xephos, and shift in her seat, letting her lithe body catch the light. She couldn't help herself, this long journey was boring her, and without the immediate threat of danger, she had allowed her sultry second nature to show. She watched on as Xephos clearly was having a hard time trying to not let himself be seduced by the assassin's charms again. Lomadia frowned, clearly not getting the reaction she wanted, she pulled her shirt even more open and arched her back against the leather chair.

"God dammit Lomadia!" Xephos shouted, finally allowing himself to look over at the woman contorting herself in the seat next to him. "You're a fucking sociopath you know that right?" He remarked, trying to tear his eyes from the blonde. "I don't know what you mean." She said coyly, knowing exactly how to press his buttons. "It's not enough for you, is it? From what I heard, not only did you basically break Nano, who hasn't been the same since by the way; you have to try and mess with my head at a time like this?" He said, getting irate. "You're just jealous that you didn't getting play with her." She continued, hooking her thumbs under her bra straps playfully. "When was the last time you got to use your knives? When was the last time you got to interrogate a tight young woman? It must be so frustrating for you, cooped up in that apartment, not able to show your real talents.". Xephos tried not to react, only offering a few words in reply. "Stop it Lomadia, this doesn't end well for either of us.". She smiled, knowing what she was doing was working. She straightened up in her seat. "You know the best parts about that interrogation?" She taunted, "She screamed, and cried and begged. She was totally helpless. And you know those tattoos on her arms? They go... Everywhere." After planting that image in his head, she quieted down, relaxing back into her chair as Xephos gritted his teeth and sped up down the road.

\---------  
Chapter 12 - Room service

Finally the car pulled up in a small suburban neighbourhood, a few meters away from a medium sized two story detached house. "That's his house." Xephos said as Lomadia buttoned a few of her shirt buttons closed. "Let's do this, no fuck ups; professional style." He instructed. In an instant Lomadia's whole demeanour changed from that of a teasing seductress to that of a cold heartless contract killer. Xephos noted the change and relaxed a little, totally confident in the woman's lethal skills. They both approached the house, and knocked on the door. 

Inside the house Turps lounged on his leather sofa in front of the TV, totally relaxed in the assurance that Captain Israphel had placed him out of harms way. So when he heard the knock at the door, he didn't even give it a second thought before opening the door. He only managed to open the door about a foot before his face met the knuckles of Xephos' fist. Over the next 30 minutes Turps was beaten, stabbed, strangled and had his fingernails pulled until he told the two gangster everything that he had told the police. After that, Xephos cut the poor man's throat, then he and Lomadia slumped on the couch right next to where the body laid. Lomadia lit two cigarettes and handed one to the caporegime sitting beside her. She looked him up and down with admiration. His shirt was red with blood and had dark circles around his eyes from the exhaustion of his work. The knife strapped to his belt dripped with blood and had small chunks of flesh stuck between the serrated teeth of the blade. "You know, I thought all these months away from the front lines would have made you lose your edge. I guess I was wrong." She smiled at him, flecks of dried blood falling from her face as she did. Her smile was not returned however, it was met with the serious face of the man she had known as an employer, a brother and a lover. "When I get back to Mistral, I want Nano waiting in my room for  
me." He replied, his face a mask of blood and death. Lomadia sighed and placed a hand on his thigh. "I'd ask you why, but I've seen that look in your eyes before. I'll get her for you, but be warned, she doesn't have as thick a skin as me. And try not to cut her up too bad, she's too pretty to get all covered in scars." As she said the last remark, she instinctively let her hand drift to her ribs, where a cluster of deep scars still showed. They were the product of a little experiment Lomadia had undergone early in their relationship, where she had put herself totally at the mercy of Xephos, just to see what he would do. She didn't regret a second of it, and she wondered if Nanosounds would regret the scars she was bound to receive when they returned.

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Chapter 13 - On the edge.

The drive back to Mistral was quick, and both people in the car barely exchanged any words. When they returned Xephos went straight to the war room to disclose what he learned from the rat, and Lomadia went to prepare Nano for what she was sure would be a painful encounter. When Xephos returned to his room, Nano was sat on the grimy bed, makeup managing to hide the exhaustion on her face. She visibly shook as he walked into the room, the single light source causing shadows to dance around the room. "Lomadia said you had s-some work for me, boss..." she said meekly, stumbling over her words. "And just what did that blonde fucking psychopath say that I was gonna want you to do?" He said, his voice barely audible. Her eyes flicked to the knife on his belt. "She said you liked my tattoos, boss." She said trying move around as little as possible, trying remember Lomadia's advice. "They are rather nice aren't they?" He said, touching the purple lines on her arm, then letting his arm fall to his side. "I-is that all, boss?" She asked submissively. "Now," Xephos replied, "knowing Lomadia, she probably gave you a half hour talk about how to stop me from killing you, what to say to make me ease off; she might of even shown you her scars. But, sitting here now, you're still shaking and even maybe sweating. So, I want to know, what did she say that has you so scared?" There was a pregnant pause. "She said that you were cruel beyond belief, that you have no mercy and that when you're done, not even the drugs will make me forget what you do." She said, her voice trembling. A slow gurgling laugh slowly crawled from Xephos' throat as he drew his knife. "God she has a way with words that woman. She always knows what to say to get me fired up. She didn't tell you those things for your benefit, that's for sure." Xephos took a deep breath and he saw a single tear roll down her cheek. In an instant, Xephos sent the handle of the knife slamming into the face of the Asian girl, the bone fracturing under the force of the impact. The room span and everything from that point on became a blur.

Lomadia was awoken at about three in the morning by a soft sobbing outside her door. She pulled back the door to reveal a poor creature at the foot of her door quietly crying. The more she looked, the worse the image became. Nano laid there in just her underwear, two black eyes and one cheek heavily swollen. Moving down her body, her neck was etched with several shallow slices, that still dripped with blood. Her chest was a similar scene, but also sported several large bruises where her ribs had been broken. Her arms bore deeper cots that had thankfully congealed, Xephos' master knife work avoiding most veins and arteries. One of her shoulders was dislocated painfully, sticking out at an obtuse angle. Her legs were heavily cut and bruised, and her ankles were bruised from being bound. Lastly, tucked into the waistband of her panties, was a note, written in blood on thick paper. It read "This was your fault, she's nearly dead and that's on you. Anyway, I also want to thank you, look after her. Don't lie to her, you knew exactly what you were letting her into. Have fun... X" She stood for a second and sighed. She thought for a second maybe that he could have found someone to sate his rage. She was wrong, he only ever seemed satisfied when he was with what he once called "the only psychopath that knew how to act when he cut her". Unfortunately, for Lomadia that woman happened to be the woman who stared back at her in the mirror in the morning. She sighed, and carried the girl downstairs, leaving her outside Lalna's room with a new note. "You deal with her." 

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End file.
